Twenty five million Kronor grant from 2002-2005
Did Oslo pledge funds for LTTE Peace Secretariat?

by Shamindra Ferdinando Courtesy The Island 10-10-2006

Did Norway recently pledge funds for the LTTE Peace Secretariat? The Island raised this with the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo after the mission announced a Rs.27 million grant to the Muslim Peace Secretariat for its activities next year.

An authoritative embassy official said that The Island carried a report on this particular issue some time back. "There’s no further comment," he said. He was speaking after contacting the Foreign Office in Oslo.

Sri Lanka urged Oslo to stop financing the Peace Secretariat against the backdrop of reports that the group received 25 million Kronor for 2002-2005 period. Norway acknowledged funding continued even after the LTTE quit the peace process in April 2003 during Ranil Wickremesinghe’s tenure as the Prime Minister.

The LTTE received Indian financial assistance immediately after the July 1987 Indo-Lanka peace accord. This was revealed by the then External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh in Parliament on April 6, 1988.

The United Nations Resolution 1373 which was unanimously adopted by the UN Security Council on September 28, 2001 calls on all member states to freeze without delay the assets of those who commit or attempt to commit terrorist acts or facilitate the commission of terrorist acts. It also calls on members to prohibit the provision and collection of funds for terrorist activities. This followed the 9/11 Al Qaeda attack on the US.

President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government recently suspended the operation of TRO accounts. The move was part of the strategy to deny funds to the LTTE.

The LTTE continues to raise funds overseas despite being proscribed by the US, EU and Canada. The recent operations conducted by US authorities revealed the LTTE’s financial strength. LTTE operatives and middle men offered staggering amounts to acquire SA-18 anti-aircraft missiles, 500 AK 47 assault rifles among other armaments.